Scotland Run Rampant in Opening Autumn International

As an Englishman, it pains me to admit that a floodlit international at Murrayfield is one of the best atmospheres in rugby. The expectant hum of the crowd, the rousing rendition of ‘Flower of Scotland’, the bloke in the kilt playing the bagpipes. It’s pretty special.

Fiji were the visitors on this chilly late autumn evening, having made the mere 20,000-mile round trip for their autumn European tour, which saw them face the likes of Wales, Ireland, and Spain.

The jetlag appeared not to have worn off for the Pacific islanders, who looked half asleep in the opening stages. Scotland raced into a four-try lead just past the twenty-minute mark with Kyle Rowe, Huw Jones, and Darcy Graham capitalising on some catastrophic handling from the Fijians. 

The first quarter of the game was so one-sided that a sense of disappointment was palpable around the ground, as the fans’ hope for a competitive game of rugby was fading fast. It was as if Scotland had bought themselves a hotel in Mayfair before Fiji had even passed Old Kent Road.

Fiji rallied somewhat in the closing stages of the first half, and Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula nimbly negotiated his way over the Scottish line just before the break. The double-barrelled fullback seems to be the only member of the side who’s less than six feet tall and eighteen stone.

The visitor’s poor first-half display was quite surprising for a side who have been in good fettle for the past couple of years. They beat Australia at the 2023 World Cup and only narrowly lost out on a place in the quarterfinal to England. 

Their side is full of young talent, many of whom ply their trade in the top tier of French rugby, one of the continent’s most prestigious leagues. 

Maybe the biggest challenge facing Fijian rugby relates to the future of the island itself. Fiji is feeling the full impact of rising sea levels, with scientists predicting a further rise of eight inches over the next thirty years. 

In 2022, the government announced a climate remigration scheme, which has seen villagers relocated to higher ground. The irony of the squad flying halfway across the world to play four games of rugby is certainly not lost.  

On the field, Fiji has much more than climate change to worry about. Darcy Graham spent the evening cutting through the Fijian defence like a sharpened Parisian guillotine through the neck of some forlorn eighteenth-century French aristocrat.

The nifty Scottish winger had an absolute field day, notching up four tries and deservedly bagging the Man of the Match award. His contribution on the right flank may be decisive in next weekend’s encounter with South Africa.  

On the other wing, Duhan van der Merwe was cruelly denied a hat-trick in the last minute when his try was disallowed by the video assistant. The young gentleman beside me accurately described the South African-born winger as “an absolute beast”.

Scotland will face much stiffer opposition in the remaining internationals but will certainly hope this clinical victory is a springboard from which they can launch into a successful autumn run. 

Image from WikiCommons